When the Day was Young and The Night was Long
by rosehustle1
Summary: Sibi Stark is the twin to Robb Stark and eldest daughter of Lord and Lady Stark. She is known as a great beauty having the Tully curly auburn hair that reaches past her waist and striking grey eyes of her Stark heritage. She is in love with her bethrothed and full of hope before the King and his Court come to Winterfell. Nothing will ever be the same when war starts.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue: And Then There Were Two

It had been months since she could last remember sleeping in a real bed and not some patch of earth or the floor of a cave. Daniel was her ever present shadow making sure that no one would catch even a glimpse of who she once was. She wore commoner's clothes and made sure to keep her beautiful deeply auburn hair tightly pinned back in an unassuming bun. The mangled blue cloak was yet another faithful adornment that kept prying eyes away. If mother could see her now she would wrinkle her face in distaste and shake her head in lovable irritation. Mother had been strong and beautiful and graceful. Sibi would never see her soft smile and shining blue eyes again. She would never see her little brothers or her baby sisters. Then she thought of her twin brother Rob and the horror he faced in his last moments. Jon was spared all of it, but he was no less alone at the wall. Even her own son was God knows where. Safe, she prayed he was safe. Hope was something she tried to use in only small doses. What a long way down she had gone, and still she never knew how much further there was to go.

"Sibi, I've got us a stable for the night. Farmer could use the coin and we'll stay warm enough from the oncoming snow." Daniel said as he walked toward where she stood by a great pine tree.

"That sounds good enough. I am too tired to try another step… My blisters have opened again." She said with a sigh as she pulled off her shoe and raised her foot.

Daniel gave a small smirk and shook his head.

"I've seen worse blisters on the battle field. I'll patch them up for you once we get warm." He said as he gestured for her to let him pick her up. She was reluctant, but he waited patiently until she relented.

"At least I don't weigh half as much as I did a year ago. I barely have had more than a bowl of questionable brown soup in the last three days." She said as she laid her head against his shoulder.

"Aye, we'll both be sticks if I don't do some hunting tomorrow. The farmer did offer some potatoes and carrots. We'll make a stew." He said with a smile as he led her up the small hill toward the stable.

Once they reached the stable, Daniel sat Sibi down and pulled the door closed. He made certain to push a few heavy tools against the latch for an added barrier to a thief or scoundrel breaking in.

As Daniel laid out a blanket and began setting up his things, Sibi took time to really look at her sworn shield. He was no more than 25 years old, but he looked a bit older. He was handsome but not in the way one would usually envision. There was softness to his deep brown eyes that made one feel he was some wise sage looking into a person's soul. He had little laugh lines around his mouth, and a fierce beard that he took time to brush each morning. His hair was thick and dark and fell midway down his back. He was taller than Sibi but not as tall as her lord husband had been. Still, he made her feel safe. He was no Northman with big hands and large stature…but he was strong. He was lean muscles and long strides. He was quick but not impulsive. People always used to underestimate him based on his stature, but those people soon were proven to be fools.

"All done, my Lady. Ready to have those blisters fixed?" He asked breaking her from her reverie.

"Don't call me Lady…You've done a great job of calling me Sibi on the road don't start saying Lady Sibi again. You might slip up." She said as she took off her shoes and placed her feet in his lap.

"Aye, maybe you're right. It's those old habits and all that are hardest to break."

Sibi smiled and leaned back against the hay stack.

"You are my dearest friend and that matters more than titles. Besides, I'll likely never be a Lady again."

"One day, the treachery, war, and snow will end...and the North will want a true Stark. I'll protect you until that day...and every day after." He said with a sternness she was not used to seeing on his usually open face.

It was a face she had looked to for guidance, support, and protection. But sometimes she could see the love too. She felt guilty for having the same emotion play against her own face. But how long would she mourn her husband? How long would she be no one and pretend that was enough?

"I believe you. You are the only one I do believe in."She said with a small smile as she tilted her head back and allowed him to clean her wounds.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 1: The Dreams of Youth are Brighter

"It's just such a lovely wedding gown. The Smalljon won't know what to do with himself." Eddara Tallhart said with a sigh. Sansa also looked on dreamily as her sister held up the gown.

Sibi thought it was a great gown too, but she couldn't help feeling nervous over the entire situation. She would be married soon to Jon. She had been friends with him since she was a six year-old girl still looking for faeries in the Godswood and singing Jenny of Oldstones. He had been ten years-old, but not above searching for the winged creatures with her. He was always a gallant knight even at that young of an age. A shame he didn't actually carry the title. But he would be Lord of The Last Hearth which was an amazing title as well. Titles seemed to be everything and while she understood the importance of being a Stark or Umber, sometimes she just wanted to be Sibi. Whenever she thought of Jon, she saw his bright smile, big arms, and soulful grey eyes and not his noble title.

There had been potential suitors of the other great Northern Houses, but Sibi knew from the time she was 12, that Jon was the one for her. Thankfully, he always felt the same. Of course, the other houses wanted a chance to wed their heirs to the eldest daughter of Lord and Lady Stark, for which Sibi played along for a few months, until she expressed her desire for only Jon as her husband.

"Lady Sibi, your Lady Mother and Lord Father have asked to see you in their chambers." Old Nan said as she came into the bedroom breaking Sibi from her memories.

"Sansa, be a dear and put my gown back on the stand. Eddara, I'll be back in a minute."

Sansa was happy to hold the precious silver and grey wedding gown. Sibi was certain she would be careful. Sansa was a true lady and had been one since she was three. Sibi knew this wedding really appealed to her little sister's romantic side. Sansa was always talking of fair maidens and handsome princes. Sibi thought her a sweet girl with a heart full of hope. But sometimes Sibi worried what would happen to her bright little sister when father and mother presented her with a great, big, burly, lord of the North instead of a fair haired prince. Sibi knew that her father loathed the south. The tragedy that befell House Stark 17 years ago happened due to one major mistake: a Stark going South. Of course, what Rhaegar did needed to be answered and it was understandable that Uncle Brandon would demand Aunt Lyanna back…but Aerys was already named the Mad King at that point. Uncle Brandon should not have stepped a foot in Kings Landing without an army at his back. The past was a heavy torment for father and Sibi noticed the sad look in his eyes would grow even heavier when he walked past the great Weirwood tree. It was a place of contemplation and prayer, but also a place where father had played with his siblings and told each other the old stories of the Children of the Forest.

Yes, father would not want Sansa anywhere near the South or their scheming ways. Her little sister would most likely marry one of the young heirs to the Cerwyns or Karstarks. Father may even consider a Mallister or Blackwood to honor one of mother's bannermen. As for Arya, the road to marriage may be murky. She was a spitfire and some men didn't take kindly to that in a woman. Also her baby sister liked to go on hunts and practice archery, which were not really ladylike pursuits. If only she had been a Mormont. She could be her own woman and not worry about needing to marry. Hopefully, father would find her a man that would let her be a fighter and not try to break her from her nature. Sibi was glad Arya and Sansa were her sisters. They were so different but they both showed her the beauty of being graceful and assertive. Sibi was more prone to intellectual pursuits herself. She learned from Septa Mordane all that a lady should be and did try archery a few times, but in her heart, reading and learning as much as she possibly could were her true passions.

Maester Luwin always encouraged Sibi's intellectual curiosity and gave her any book she ever wanted. In addition, he was kind enough to show her how to set bones, stitch wounds, and create herbal salves that could heal any kind of ailment. If she had been born a man Sibi knows she would have left for the Citadel. She told Maester Luwin the same and he laughed and said, "Even if that had been the case you would have been the second son, as the younger twin, to House Stark. You would be expected to fight for Rob and marry a bannerman's daughter…Now if you had been a third son…"

Sibi took it with good humor but there was a part of her that often wondered what it would be like to be whatever you wanted and not have one's gender or rank stop them. Sibi thought about all the opportunities she may never have a chance to experience as she walked toward her parent's bed chamber. Sibi reached out and knocked on the door waiting to be received.

"Come in, Sibi." Ned said.

Sibi entered to see her mother standing by the window pacing a bit and looking quite solemn. Her father was sitting at his desk and carried a similar air of unease.

"Sibi, please sit." Catelyn said as she walked over to sit beside Ned.

"Mother, Father, is something wrong?"

Catelyn leaned forward and took Sibi's hand.

"My sweet girl, there has been a raven from King's Landing. Jon Arryn has died and King Robert and his court have decided to come North to visit your father, as they were like sons to Lord Jon."

Sibi leaned forward. "I'm so sorry father. I know how much he meant to you. I still don't understand why the entire court must come as well?"

"It is implied that Robert may name me Hand of the King." Ned replied with a grimace.

"Oh…You won't accept though. ..."

"Sibi, he is the king it would be disrespectful not to accept."

"But father, Starks do not do well in the South. What if something terrible happens again?" Sibi asked as she leaned forward to take her father's hand as well.

"King Robert is not like Aerys. Besides he is my oldest friend…" He said with a smile as he pat her hand.

"Whom you haven't spoken to in 17 years…he may not be who he once was." Sibi said.

"This is not why we asked you here….Robb was told as well about the King and his court. I brought you here because they will be here in a month's time which will coincide with your wedding. We were thinking of postponing…"

Sibi stood up abruptly.

"No! Father please! I have been planning this for over a year."

Catelyn nodded to her to sit back down. Sibi reluctantly went back to her seat.

"As I was saying, we were thinking of postponing but since all of our bannerman will want to show fealty to the King and will most likely stay as guests, it would make sense to continue with the wedding as planned. The whole of the North will be there to see you marry and it will be even grander because of the royals."

Sibi smiled hesitantly.

"We thought you would be happier." Catelyn stated as she looked bewilderingly at Ned.

"I am of course happy to still be marrying Jon. I just didn't expect a royal audience as well. You know how I hate big affairs." Sibi said as she began ringing her hands.

Catelyn smiled and pulled Sibi's hand back into her own.

"Love, all will go as planned, and I promise it will be an easy day for you. When you get nervous just look at your Beloved, focus on him, and everything will work out."

"I hope it is as you say mother. I just wasn't expecting something like this. It feels wrong."

Ned sighed and moved to sit beside his daughter.

"I am sorry, little wolf. I wish I could tell Robert no and send them back to that terrible city…But to refuse a king…"

"I know it would be treasonous." Sibi said with a sigh.

"Sibi, why don't you go prepare for dinner. You may feel a bit better after a bath." Catelyn said. Nodding in agreement with her mother, Sibi departed for her chambers.

It was as Sibi walked through the halls of Winterfell that a terrible chill suddenly swept through her body. It was more than a shiver or a sense of fear. Sibi felt a severe dread creep over her entire being. She tried to control her breathing but the more she tried to slow it down the faster it seemed to get. Before she had a chance to realize that she was getting a bit dizzy, Sibi fell to the ground and the insidious darkness enveloped her mind.


End file.
